Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Last night, it was announced that a new 19 figure gravity feed for HeroClix would be released, titled "Undead".

http://icv2.com/articles/news/view/36236/wizkids-adds-horror-heroclix

Some are hailing this announcement as the long awaited return of HorrorClix. I have long stated that I do not believe WizKids will ever revive HorrorClix. In this case, I stand by that statement. HeroClix: Undead, as far as I can tell, is not HorrorClix. There will likely be no victim tokens, no Cabals, no hourglasses. Some glimmer of hope does exist in the one individual character named in the announcement: Dr. Jekyll. Indeed, Dr. Henry Jekyll was an LE in the original HorrorClix set, but what are the chances that we will actually get to see this beautiful sculpt once more?

Okay, so it's not their crowning achievement....

The fact is, as some other commenters have pointed out, HorrorClix was pre-NECA and pre-digital sculpting. Furthermore, nothing in the announcement suggest that the figures will come with HeroClix cards. The Mage Knight set got dual dials so as to be playable in both games, but that set was clearly branded as a revival and the compatibility was touted as a main feature. From what we can see, this is a spiritual successor at best.

Long ago, in the early conceptual stages of HorrorClix, it was intended to be fully HeroClix compatible. For all we know, HeroClix: Undead could be the very same thing that HorrorClix was originally envisioned to be. Now your vampires and demons (and, let's pray, slashers) can go toe to toe with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That's pretty rad, I guess, but I didn't fall in love with what HorrorClix was almost going to be. I fell in love with what it turned out to be, and what it could have been in the future.

Modern HeroClix is far more complicated and power heavy than the HorrorClix of the mid 2000s. In some people's eyes, that's part of what made it a better experience. Even when you factor in all the crazy custom content people have come up with over the years, some of which has incorporated ideas directly from HeroClix, it still feels very different.

That custom content, I might add, is fantastic and probably a lot more fun an interesting than anything a team of responsible, professional designers at WizKids could give us. Because its a hobby and not a business, custom creators are free to take risks and approach the game in some very unique and innovative ways without fear of losing money on an unpopular "product", and because it's fan art, they are not restrained by licensing issues and we are able to play with fan-designed versions of everything from Chucky to Pyramid Head.

I will be pleasantly surprised if they give us even the slightest nod to HorrorClix in HeroClix: Undead, but to be honest, I'm not sure what I'm hoping for. Part of me is afraid of what will happen to HorrorClix if WizKids does pick it back up. I doubt that will stop the talented minds of IWF2 from designing their own customs, but it would be kind of a shame to lose the feeling that the game's future is solely in our hands as fans. But if it means more little plastic vampires fighting across tabletops around the world, I suppose it's pretty fucking cool.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Just a heads up, I've recently added an art gallery to the site to showcase the fantastic visual artwork created by our very own Kaedin Bane (wafflebot) and David Rodriguez (Flapper_Jane). Kaedin's canvas paintings are one of a kind and are actually for sale. Click on the "Art" tab at the top of the page or just click here to head over to the gallery and check it out.

Friday, September 16, 2016

September 16th is Mexican Independence Day. While I was all ready to gush about Guillermo del Toro's spellbinding horror-fantasy Cronos, a Google search turned up a peculiar trend that I wasn't entirely aware of. I had heard of The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy, of course, because there's a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode about it. What I was not aware of was that the series also included "The Aztec Mummy" and "Wrestling Women vs. The Aztec Mummy". Also present in the google search results was a trailer for "Mil Mascaras vs. The Aztec Mummy". I haven't seen any of these movies, but I think I will be checking at least one of them out today.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

September 14th is the birthday of none other than the dinosaur-taming, black hole-exploring, New York Times best-selling Antichrist himself, Sam Neil. Of course I will always remember him first and foremost as Damien in The Omen III: The Final Conflict, wherein he delivers a monologue that could turn the purest soul to ash. Watch it ironically today on The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. There's also certainly something to be said for what may be one of the most popular and entertaining "Lovecraftian" films ever produced, In the Mouth of Madness. I remember buying it on DVD with one of my first every paychecks as a teenager and being bored to tears at first, only to be blown away by the visual flourish in the latter part of the movie. Yesterday was supposed to be "Uncle Sam Day," but I think someone made a typo because this is clearly the Uncle Sam I'm here to celebrate.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

September 13th is Bald is Beautiful Day. This could be a good opportunity to take in a Hitchcock marathon, or perhaps See No Evil or The Hills Have Eyes, or a nice Friday the 13th or Hellraiser in honor of their hairless antagonists. Come to think of it, Freddy Krueger is kinda bald too, and it just so happens to be the 25th anniversary of Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. If you prefer something a little more trippy, there's always Natural Born Killers, which features a nice head-shaving scene. Come to think of it, there are a lot of bald people in horror...

Thursday, September 8, 2016

I'm a little late posting this here, but this is my most recent creepypasta video. Most of the images are of our cat, Lord Tinselton Fluffernutter Bane. He has in fact attempted to murder Wafflebot and I multiple times. Please send help. And pills. But mostly help. Help pills. Like some kind of weird naked Dr. Mario.

Friday, July 15, 2016

Good afternoon, HorrorClix and Fear20 fanatics! I am Flapper_Jane and those of you who have kept up with the Facebook group(https://www.facebook.com/HrCTube/) may have seen some of my amateur works colored and posted by our scary leader Sarcanis! All of it is done pro bono and I am starving to death, send foodstuffs pls.

Better yet, join us in the stream at http://www.taima.tv/r/HrCTube and say hi if we're not lying in green slimy vaults, dreaming but not dead in the corpse-city of R'lyeh.

Please don't touch the native fauna, flora or fungi, they may be semi- or fully-sentient and hungrier than I am.

Saturday, July 2, 2016

I've been busy for the past couple weeks trying to figure out how to get rid of this thing that has been trying to end me. Seriously, I like to stay in one spot and just relax but I've been getting more exercise than I want, Luckily I've found this great instruction video in the guise of a horror movie. After partaking in an orgy (I made sure to have sex with just one person and snuck out quickly) I've decided to give it a review.
It Follows is a film directed and written by David Robert Mitchell that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 27, 2014 and then limited theater release on March 13, 2015 and with the time that has passed of the short attention span of this day and age the film still has it's popularity, some may have been a little sceptical abut the film because there is a theme of sex in this movie which is a bit of it's focus for plot purposes.
Before we get into the plot I want to point out that the cinematography has a arthouse/ music video vibe that almost takes away from the horror elements of it and instead gives a feel of an independent movie with panning shots and perfectly paced atmospheric scenes which might inspire some horror movies in the future.
What also complements this is the soundtrack which was composed byRich Vreeland also known as Disasterpeace, who in turns gives the film that extra touch of music video vibe I mentioned early, this made me believe that the movie was actually going to turn into one out of nowhere at some moments but along with that a serious tone shift of alert and panic whenever the film's monster made it's appearances. Seriously though, this film is nice on the eyes and ears as a whole.

Hey... Who's that behind ya'll?!?!

The cast also worked really well together as they play their characters to life. The story is centered around Jay (portrayed by Maika Monroe) who is usually surrounded by her family and childhood friends. the illusion of her knowing these people all her life feels real as a scene that show her sister Kelly (portrayed by Lili Sepe), friends Paul (portrayed by Keir Gilchrist) and Yara (portrayed by Olivia Luccardi) set around in her living room watching an old black and white science fiction movie while Yara cracks a joke and breaks wind in front of all of them as they all share a laugh other key scenes show Jay's friends by her side when she needs them most at her time of need. This gives a true sense of history of the characters and chemistry really sine between the actors even if it's somewhat subtle.. As for the movie and it's plot; it is done well but it isn't without it's flaws. Some examples; There a characternamed Greg (portrayed by Daniel Zovatto) who didn't get along with Jay when she was younger as the movie implies and doesn't believe that the monster is real due to it being invisible, even though he helps Jay and evidence of an attack happens before his eyes the character is still doesn't believe. Another issue is the films climatic scene of trying to defeat the monster which seem like a half-baked one at best but hey, whatever get the job done. Plot wise with little spoilers the film opens up with a basic bitch named Annie (portrayed by Bailey Spry) who looks like she lost her damn mind running out of her house into the streets and back into her house and into her car and drives off in a rush which seems to happen a lot in this movie; tons of running from something that isn't seeable, anyway she makes her way to a lake to await her doom. Then we meet Jay who is a real person, she has a date with a boy named Hugh (portrayed by Jake Weary) who at one point sees a girl that isn't there at the theater they're at cueing him to get the hell out of there with Jay who is confused about the situation. As the night goes on they find a nice place to get it on and after that Jay catches the worst STD of all time, a spooky shapeshifting monster that wants to kill her! From there the ride continues and that's pretty much what I feel should be said about the plot but fair warning! It isn't ever explained how this curse came to be just what you have to do to get rid of it.. I see now that maybe there's more to this spreading curses via sex has more then one type... please excuse me now as I need to seek out a witch doctor or something for my penis had grown eyes and limbs.

I'm trying to keep the spirit alive in the buildup to the 10th anniversary of HorrorClix, so I threw together this quick little ad. It's a 30 second version of an old .gif ad for the game being demoed at Origins 2006. It's been a crazy decade, and I'm honored to have been a part of it. I think my voice work is getting better as well. I hope you all enjoy it.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Good morning, horror fans! It's been a while since I've been around to dispense my invaluable wisdom and help you decide which horror movie you're gonna rent today! We have such an overabundance of birthdays and anniversaries that I'm not really sure how to tie it all together. I guess it starts with one Victor Frankenstein...

Sunday, June 12, 2016

HorrorClix has been my deepest obsession for many years, and yet only now am I releasing this video explaining why that is. If you like horror, and you like games, you will love HorrorClix. I guarantee it.
More Information: http://horrorclix.wikia.com

Thursday, June 9, 2016

While Hardyhara was in town for the Portland Horror Film Festival, I made sure to record a couple of games of HorrorClix Online. It's edited for time, but only to cut out the long pauses while we were smoking, looking shit up and planning our moves. I hope you enjoy.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. The Fear20 crew has been in party mode leading up to the Portland Horror Film Festival. Oddly enough, this has culminated in our socially uneasy gang of cave-dwelling humanoids sitting in an unfamiliar setting; a bar.

Monday, May 30, 2016

Followers of Fear20 may be wondering where all the posts have gone. To be honest, I just haven't been as motivated to write for the past few days, not because I have lost interest in the site, but simply because IT'S FUCKING PARTY TIME, BRAH!

Site contributor and HorrorClix TV mod Hardyhara has arrived in Portland and we're getting ready for the Portland Horror Film Festival this weekend. This is the first time we've actually met this guy in person and we're happy to say that he's falling for our--- uh... I mean, he has a long and lucrative future in the horror journalism industry.

We've been chilling for a few days, watching a few horror movies and playing a lot of video games and even some HorrorClix, but we promise new and exciting content is on its way.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Unfortunately, I am unable to celebrate National Wine Day today, because I have no wine and I have to work in 2 hours. I will, however, be doing something for Geek Pride Day. This 10 year old holiday takes the inspiration for its May 25th spot from both Star Wars and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which have nothing to do with horror, but everything to do with outer space!

An Indiegogo project has met it's goal back in December of 2014 that had requested for $165,000 but has reached with 20% more than the requested amount; A project that one wouldn't think would be unable to have the funding needed to capture the vision of seasoned film writer/director/producer (and composer) Dario Argento, who is world famous for his films Opera, Demons, and Inferno (only to name a few) which the films of Argento took advantage of the technicolor technology at the time.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Growing up, I had a strained relationship with my brother, being that the only computer in the house was in his room and so I was always annoying him and invading his space. Nonetheless, he was relatively gracious about it, and he took care of me, begrudgingly driving me all around town and helping me when I got stuck in a video game. The last time I saw him was a few years ago at his wedding, and although I had a chance to re-establish contact, I regrettably put off sending that text until I forgot about it and lost his number.

I bring up this personal anecdote only because it's Brother's Day, a holiday invented by 7 year olds. Get together with your bro and watch movies with prominent or interesting brother characters, such as Jeepers Creepers, Oculus, A Serbian Film (if you consider that a horror movie) and of course, Basket Case.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Okay, let's get this out of the way right off the bat. Today is a one-two punch of Scatman Crothers' birthday AND the theatrical release date for the film horror fans know and love him from, The Shining. Go watch The Shining. Do it. Do it now. Sit down with your wife and kid, pour yourself a drink, and watch the fucking Shining.

... but FUCK ALL THAT SHIT because it's also my birthday, also known as International Mandatory Sarcanis Appreciation Day! Come on down to the Fear20 movie chat and watch whatever's on the playlist that happens to strike my fancy. I'll be there for a good portion of the day and eager to accept your adulation and congratulations.

Friday, May 20, 2016

I stayed up all night partying last night, woke up at 3pm, and honestly I feel like a million bucks. I've got pizzas in the freezer, bud in my grinder, and a wolf-skin rug at my feet. All that's left to make this a perfect day is a good horror movie or two. But what does one watch on this Friday, May 20th, 2016?

We are partnering with our friends at LimitedLoot.com to bring Fear20 readers our first ever official prize giveaway. You can enter in a number of fun and easy ways, such as subscribing to our YouTube channels, visiting our chatroom, or answering simple horror-themed questions, the results of which I will discuss here on the site once the contest ends. But you have to do it through the contest page, so stay tuned for that! After the jump, you'll find a breakdown of the prizes.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

It's another dry day for obscure celebrations, but a gamer like me rarely shies away from a challenge. Today's Horror Choices are as follows.

The highlight of the day for most horror fans is the first annual National Notebook Day. What notebook in history or literature is more revered than The Necronomicon? Evil Dead II is a go-to for this one. The "sequel" has a much stronger focus on the book than the original. For that matter, you might opt to binge-watch the series, Ash vs. Evil Dead, for even more lost pages and bookstore shenanigans. Other movies to feature the Book of the Dead include The Dunwich Horror, Evil Toons and - shockingly enough - Necronomicon.

Take notes, kids.

If you're of the unpopular opinion that notebooks should not be bound with human flesh, you may relate better to the obsessive note-takers in movies like Se7en, Serial Killing 101 and Behind the Mask. Most Slenderman media will also feature some type of mad, frenetic note-taking behavior.

Oh, and if you're feeling romantic, be sure to check out 2009's Lo with your significant other. It's rather silly and the protagonist starts out kind of annoying, but lo and behold, by the end of it you will believe that love can last an eternity.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

May 18th is a difficult day for writing this column, as there aren't many offbeat or humorous holidays to work with. Even the ones that I found were kind of... boring. So, some of these may be a bit of a stretch, but...

Today is National No Dirty Dishes Day. Celebrate in style by binge-watching the misadventures of the cleanest killer of all time, Dexter. I thought about Hannibal as well, being that he eats people and all, but I have only seen the movies and not the TV show, and he doesn't strike me as the type to use a lot of paper plates.
It's also National Visit Your Relatives Day. I was hesitant to use this holiday because I just highlighted the International Day of Families the other day. How can we make this selection different? Well, most of us would gladly watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre any day of the year. But how often to we take the time to remember Texas Chainsaw 3D?

No, c'mon, just hear me out....

Okay, so it's not the best Texas Chainsaw. It's not even in the top 4. But it is appropriate to this day, as the main character travels from far away to meet the family she never knew she had. The movie itself is a dumpster, but one that might be worth diving through if only once a year, just to remind yourself what went wrong - and what went surprisingly right. Another option would be Psycho, in which a woman visits her sister's new home without even knowing it.

Finally, today is the 45th anniversary of The Abominable Dr. Phibes. Take this golden opportunity to finally watch the movie along with its sequel, Dr. Phibes Rides Again. I haven't seen either, and sadly I have to work today, but this will definitely been on my post-midnight schedule.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Sorry I'm late with today's article. It's National Cherry Cobbler Day, and I couldn't put down my fork long enough to type anything until now. Once again, baked goods bring up Full Moon Entertainment's 2005 cheesecake classic, The Gingerdead Man. Aside from that, I think it's necessary to go a little abstract for this one. Rather than focus on cobbler itself, why not turn our attention to those gore-fests whose less fortunate characters end up looking like cherry cobbler, such as Street Trash, Dead Alive and... uh...

I tried, guys. Really.

Today is also National Pack Rat Day. This opens up a huge array of options. Any movie about a character who takes trophies will do; Predator 2, Silence of the Lambs, The Loved Ones, House of 1,000 Corpses or Wrestlemaniac will all make fine celebrations of those hoarding tendencies we all secretly have.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Personal friend of the site, underground electro artist Wafflebot, has posted a third track from her debut album, Electro Shit Post, to stream on Reverb Nation. The song, titled Creepers Gonna Creep, is a haunting, discordant flute melody offset by harsh mechanical sounds reminiscent of Akira Yamaoka's work on the original Silent Hill soundtrack. It wordlessly tells a tale of obsession and denial. Check it out below:

Today is Love a Tree Day. Celebrate this concept in the extreme with Evil Dead (1981) and to a lesser extent, May (2002). You get bonus points just for watching May in May. I have heard that trees play a major role in M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening as well, but I have not seen it.

Today is also World Baking Day. We know this is supposed to be about cakes & shit, but that only really yeilds The Gingerdead Man and maybe that Father's Day segment of Creepshow. Luckily, Gingerdead Man eventually crossed over into the Evil Bong franchise, which parlays nicely into the kind of baking we prefer. Frost your brain with some sweet hashish and strap into your couch for Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong, Pot Zombies, Night of the Living Heads and Blood Freak. Let's get the world baked.

If you're brave, today is National Piercing Day. Do your self a favor and take the easy way out of this one with Return of the Living Dead. There's some gore there, but it's mostly light-hearted. If you're an action-horror fan, perhaps Ichi the Killer would be more your style. Also from Takashi Miike, Imprint features some body modification that will ensure you never look at a needle the same way again, and Grotesque goes deep with piercings in places that piercings should not be. Man, what's goin' on with Japan? Oh, right...

Sunday, May 15, 2016

May is halfway over and with the birth of Fear 20 we have our first Music Monster of the Month and this month we are honoring Iggy Pop and The Stooges.

Iggy Pop and The Stooges are widely considered the great grand daddies of the punk movement and this month we recognize them without saying much because.. what else is to be said? The music is legendary, Iggy Pop IS legendary,The Stooges ARE legendary.

Today is Dinosaur Day. If you're one of those people who doesn't consider Jurassic Park a horror movie... well, you're wrong. That said, if you prefer something a little schlockier, Roger Corman's Carnosaur trilogy is good clean fun, while 1990's A Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell brings the boobs. If you're looking for something with a bit more pedigree, any Godzilla movie will do.

Absolutely Terrifying.

Today is also International Day of Families. Once again, there are a number of ways to come at this. There's no shortage of fascinating families in the horror genre. Obviously Texas Chainsaw Massacre comes to mind. Going along with the hillbilly subtheme, one could screen American Gothic, Mother's Day or People Under the Stairs. If you're in the mood for something more serious, try Last House on the Left or The Shining. On a more international note, there's The Loved Ones and Mum & Dad, both equal parts disturbing and darkly humorous. Let's not forget the delightfully lowbrow humor of Seed of Chucky and Head of the Family. Oh, and speaking of guilty pleasures, there's no family drama quite like Repo: The Genetic Opera.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

I (Sarcanis) will be attending the first annual Portland Horror Film Festival on June 1st and 2nd. The website currently advertises 2 feature films and a shitload of shorts that will be shown over the course of two days, and suggests that more will be added.

Barring any unforseen circumstances, I expect to be accompanied by Hardyhara and Wafflebot as well. If you live near the Portland area, come on out. It sounds like a hell of a good time. The organizers are seasoned as well, being responsible for an annual Lovecraft festival, so you know they'll be running a tight ship.

Today is Underground America Day. This one's a no-brainer. Check out The Hills Have Eyes, The Descent or Leprechaun 2. Maybe C.H.U.D. or Tremors? Dunno, never seen 'em.

Today is also American Indian Day. Is it racist that this makes me want to watch The Manitou? God damn, that movie was good. All the cheese and testosterone you could want out of an 80s monster movie with none of the trashy undertones that turned some people off from the genre.

As a long-time fan of Full Moon Entertainment, I had high hopes for Evil Bong High-5, the latest offering from the company that brought me such joys as Puppet Master: Axis of Evil and The Gingerdead Man. While I feel like I came off as a little harsh in my video, I just miss the dank-ass writing that brought me down the Full Moon rabit hole in the first place. Here's hoping that Puppet Master: Axis Termination is--- Wait, what? "Littlest Reich"?

Friday, May 13, 2016

In honor of Friday the 13th falling on this day, we are celebrating in the most predictable way possible; with a Friday the 13th marathon. Even though, like, everyone else is doing that today too, ours is better because we're fucking tight, ya dig?
Err... Anyway... We're watching it in the backup channel because of limitations with Taima.
http://www.cytu.be/r/HorrorClix